No Mercy for Rule-Breakers: Kumasi Mayor Vows to Whip Pavement Traders Defying Ban
Mayor launches two-week ultimatum and military-style crackdown to clear illegal traders from city pavements and restore Kumasi’s image
- Traders given two weeks to vacate pavements or face sanctions, including flogging
- KMA to begin strict decongestion operation from April 16, 2024
- Mayor says indiscipline won’t be tolerated in “Otumfuo’s city
The Mayor of Kumasi, Mr. Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, has issued a stern two-week ultimatum to traders operating illegally on pavements in the central business district, warning that failure to vacate by Wednesday, April 16, 2024, will result in harsh consequences—including physical punishment.
As part of a planned decongestion exercise led by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), the mayor emphasized that traders who continue to sell on pavements and roadsides will face immediate eviction and possible corporal punishment.
He stated that conventional enforcement methods like seizing goods and arresting violators have proven ineffective, as traders often return.
Highlighting the impact of unauthorized trading on the city’s congestion, Mayor Boadi stressed the need for decisive action to restore order.
He revealed a new enforcement approach, which he describes as a blend of military precision and democratic governance, to tackle the problem head-on.
“If we tell you to leave and you don’t, and I come with my team, we’ll whip you on the spot,” he declared at a press briefing on Monday, April 14.
“This is the Garden City of West Africa—Otumfuo’s city. Anyone who challenges the order will feel the consequences.”
The mayor’s warning comes as part of his broader mission to reclaim public spaces and uphold discipline within Kumasi.
